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[Professor's Name]
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Is Racial Profiling an Effective Counter Terrorism Measure?
The September 11 terror attack on the American soil was followed by a successive wave
of events that were aimed at countering terrorism. As the global engagement on terrorism
intensified, racial profiling became more pronounced along the corridors of counter-terrorism.
Conversely, the employment of racial profiling as an instrument for detecting terror suspects and
countering terrorism has elicited sharp criticism from different quarters. Even as protagonists of
racial profiling reiterate its effectiveness in combating terrorism, dissenting voices lament the
flagrant human rights violations and racial segregations borne of racial profiling. This paper
critically examines the issues surrounding racial profiling in order to form a benchmark upon
which the effectiveness of racial profiling in countering terrorism can be measured.
The September 11 attacks on the US soil, which was one of the single worst acts of
terrorism in the world's history, led to the re-emergence of racial profiling in full force. In a
desperate effort to bring to book the perpetrators of these attacks, security agencies in the US
developed prejudice on Middle-Easterners. These prejudices were then codified into law
including additional security measures for Arabs and Muslims leaving and entering the US
territory. It is against this backdrop that racial profiling gained prominence not only in the US but

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also among its allies. This then raises a very pertinent concern as to whether racial profiling is
effective in countering terrorism across the globe.
Security organs more often than not have based detention and interdiction of suspects
primarily on the basis of their race, ethnicity and/or religion. Pickering et al argue that racial
profiling occurs against the belief that certain minority groups are more likely to engage in
unlawful behavior. They further posit that integrating national security into law has opened up
the possibility that racial profiling is inevitable in predicting crime and identifying potential
perpetrators of crime. Profiling is however problematic in terms of its effectiveness given the fact
that it is not firstly correlated statistically to risk. Secondly, racial profiling is ineffective in
substantially narrowing down a pool of potential suspects (60). Therefore, profiling of suspects
fails to meet professional law enforcement principles but instead reflect prejudice and
discrimination.
Nevertheless, the biggest concerns over profiling lie in the invasion of privacy as well as
the erosion of fundamental civil liberties. The US has been on the forefront in advocating for the
sharing of Passenger Name Records (PNR) information in an effort to single out possible terror
suspects. However, this action invariably subjects individuals of particular ethnicities and
religions to additional security checks consequently giving leeway to arbitrary discrimination
(Muffler 241). What authorities do is basically identify names on the PNR that are Muslim or
Arabic in nature. With the perception that Arabs and Muslims are potential terror suspects, they
subject bearers of such names to more rigorous security screening. This act does not only
discriminate affected individuals but it also produces a large number of false positives.

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Pickering et al have ascertained that large numbers of false positives divert resources
needed to enhance more productive law enforcement activities. Moreover, false positives draws
attention away from real threats and this is welcome news for terrorists. To that respect, racial
profiling becomes self-defeating in the sense that it overlooks mainstream target groups thus
ignoring the real danger of homegrown non-target terror groups (62). In the recent past, we have
had terror attacks instigated by native citizens who have been either inspired by radical religious
teachings or who are angry with their governments for reasons known to themselves. These
individuals are never prioritized by the authorities thus pose a greater danger to national security.
Over-emphasis on foreigners paves way for homegrown extremists to plan and execute terror
attacks undetected.
It is therefore a morally repugnant practice to target individuals as terror suspects based
on their race and/or religion. Not all Muslims are terrorists and neither are all people of Arabic
origin terrorists. It is really fallacious to generalize Muslims and Arabs as terrorists based on
religious and ethnic prejudices. This then means that these individuals who would have
otherwise provided intelligence on terror activities become sympathetic to terror groups with
whom they share racial and religious inclinations. In the long run, racial profiling degrades social
cohesion; it fuels animosity and ends up instigating more terror attacks that it intended to counter
in the first place (Pickering et al 62).
Racial alienation in the wake of racial profiling has given rise to a new phenomenon
referred to as social terrorism. Intolerance experienced in society today has left victims of racial
profiling with indelible marks of acute, episodic and vicarious discrimination. Social terrorism
shutters minds, bodies and souls with affected

individuals developing serious spiritual

disturbances. These disorders may include questioning the essence of living, cessation from

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religious practices as well as loss of vitality and aliveness. Spirituality in particular is at the heart
of resilience to adversity among people of color. Attacking a person's spiritual beliefs therefore
creates individuals prone to radical religious teachings. It is the victims of social terrorism that
have been found to cause the worst atrocities against humanity since they have nothing to lose
after all (Etiony 97).
Profiling indeed increases the detection of terrorists attack in the short run. Through
racial profiling, terror suspects have been apprehended before initiating their attacks. In the long
run however, racial profiling creates the possibility of dangerous substitution. On the current
trajectory, there is no empirical evidence whatsoever exploring the use of racial profiling as a
counter terrorism measure. This means that we have no idea whether racial profiling is indeed
bearing fruits in countering terrorism or not. What we are aware of is how racial profiling has
negatively impacted those subjected to it (Center for Human Rights and Global justice 19).
It is not my intention to ruffle people's feathers the wrong way or even stir still waters. To
that respect, I will try my very best to keep friendly skies friendly by condemning terrorism
unreservedly with the strongest words possible. Terrorism destabilizes democracies by attacking
the life and liberties of citizens. It must be met with firmness and increased co-operation among
democratic countries. However, inasmuch as we must counter terrorism, we must denounce the
escalation of barbaric acts that strike down innocent victims. People do not immigrate to foreign
lands just to bomb them but they rather do so to appreciate the quality of life in these foreign
countries. It is therefore incumbent upon the citizens of resident countries to welcome these
foreigners and help them integrate in their communities.

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When all is said and done, it is imperative that we win the war on terrorism if we desire
to make the world a peaceful haven. This war will not however be won through covert and
coercive methods of intelligence gathering. Law enforcement agencies must desist from hiding
their laziness and inefficiencies behind racial bigotry.What is needed is development of security
structures for sharing intelligence between security agents and citizens on counter terror
activities. Security agencies can no longer afford to guard terrorism as a top secret since
terrorism affects all people regardless of their status in society. Fundamental rights must never
become casualties of the politics of fear that have characterized States' response to the war on
terror. A faithful adherence to human rights incorporated in international, regional, and domestic
law is the only sure way of securing and protecting all persons.

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Works Cited
Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. Irreversible Consequences: Racial Profiling and
Lethal Force in the War on Terror. NY: NYU School of Law, 2006. Print.
Etiony, Aldarando. Advancing Social Justice Through Clinical Practice. NJ: Lawrence Eribaum
Associates, 2008. Print.
Muffler, J. Steven. Racial Profiling: Issues, Data and Analyses. NY: Nova Science P, 2006.
Print.
Pickering, Sharon, McCulloch and Wright-Neville David. Counter-Terrorism Policing:
Community, Cohesion and Security. NY: Springer, 2008. Print.